RMWMTMBM Archive

The Parking Lot Movie: In Defense of Service Workers

June 9, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson Film, Film Reviews, Philosophy, Pop Culture/Film/Literature, RMWMTMBM Archive Comments Off on The Parking Lot Movie: In Defense of Service Workers

Many years ago, when I found myself griping about the horrible and infuriating treatment that restaurant service-people– at the time, that included me– get from their patrons, I remember my father telling me: “Everyone should have at least four types of jobs in his or her life: (1) a job in the service industry, (2)…

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Rick Perry’s Weak

June 9, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson Philosophy, Politics, RMWMTMBM Archive Comments Off on Rick Perry’s Weak

GOP Presidential candidate and Texas Governor Rick Perry has released a campaign ad called “Strong,” in which he bemoans the fact that “gays can serve openly in the military but our kids can’t openly celebrate Christmas or pray in schools.” (For the record, kids can pray in schools. They can even do so “openly.” It’s…

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If P, then WTF?!

June 9, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson Philosophy, RMWMTMBM Archive, Women and Gender Issues Comments Off on If P, then WTF?!

The image to your left is one of a set of images that were recently posted by Vincent Hendricks, Professor of Formal Philosophy at the University of Copenhagen and part-time Visiting Research Scholar at Columbia University, advertising his course in Logic. (The advertisement has since been taken down from Prof. Hendricks’ website, but you can…

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The Problem with Forbidden Knowledge

June 9, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson Philosophy, RMWMTMBM Archive Comments Off on The Problem with Forbidden Knowledge

Over on the NewAPPS blog, which is becoming a more and more excellent philosophy blog by the day, Eric Schliesser has authored a provocative (and provocatively brief) post asking whether or not we need a professional code of ethics for philosophers. Schliesser’s question was prompted by the recent publication of two books– one that condones…

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2011 Year in Pop Culture

June 9, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson 2011 Year in Review Lists, Dr. J's Lists, Pop Culture/Film/Literature, RMWMTMBM Archive, Year in Review Lists Comments Off on 2011 Year in Pop Culture

Doing the end-of-the-year Pop Culture list is definitely something that I look forward to each December. I was worried that last year’s list was going to be hard to top– what with 2010’s introduction of the Facebook “like” button, the Jersey Shore “GTL” mantra, the iPad and the Rally To Restore Sanity and/or Fear– but…

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2011 Year in Dr. J

June 9, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson 2011 Year in Review Lists, Dr. J's Lists, Memphis, Music, Philosophy, RMWMTMBM Archive, Year in Review Lists Comments Off on 2011 Year in Dr. J

Before I drop the 2011 Year in Pop Culture, which will be the last of my year-end lists, I thought I’d do one recounting my own year. 2011 began for me with a bit of a rough transition, as I was returning from a semester-long sabbatical, but things eventually smoothed out and stayed running smoothly…

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2011 Year in Politics

June 9, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson 2011 Year in Review Lists, Dr. J's Lists, Politics, RMWMTMBM Archive, Year in Review Lists Comments Off on 2011 Year in Politics

I don’t think I’m going out on a limb here to say that 2011 will likely go down as the most significant Year in Politics in my lifetime. Time magazine named “The Protester” as the 2011 Person of the Year. It was an interesting selection, since Time couldn’t actually photograph The Protester for their cover….

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Good Guy, Bad Guy

June 9, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson Film, Film Reviews, Politics, Pop Culture/Film/Literature, RMWMTMBM Archive Comments Off on Good Guy, Bad Guy

George Clooney’s 2011 political film The Ides of March is based on Beau Willimon‘s 2008 play “Farragut North,” which is itself based on the 2004 Democratic primary campaign of Howard Dean. That is to say, The Ides of March is a political drama situated squarely in the “now.” It’s story is post-9/11, post-Iraq and -Afghanistan…

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2011 Year in Sports

June 9, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson 2011 Year in Review Lists, Dr. J's Lists, RMWMTMBM Archive, Sports, Year in Review Lists Comments Off on 2011 Year in Sports

Oh what a difference a year makes! After the mostly feel-good festival that was the 2010 Year in Sports, I regret to report that much of Sportsdom– athletes, coaches, owners AND fans– found their way onto Team FUBAR in 2011. Sure, there were some Good moments, but they were so overshadowed by the Bad and…

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2011 Year in Music

June 9, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson 2011 Year in Review Lists, Dr. J's Lists, Music, RMWMTMBM Archive, Year in Review Lists Comments Off on 2011 Year in Music

It’s that time again, readers! Time for Dr. J’s retrospective wrap-ups and utterly unscientific evaluations of the year that was 2011. In 2010, I decided to split my year-end lists up into categories– see the 2010 Year in Music, or the 2010 Year in Sports or (my personal favorite) the 2010 Year in Pop Culture—…

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